Medical Claims

To make a claim whilst abroad, contact the claims team on +44 (0)1444 465590. If you are looking to submit documents relating to a claim, please use the online portal [https://claims.imglobal.com/] which means there is no paperwork or posting needed. If you are having problems submitting your claim information online, please contact [email protected] who will be able to assist you. If you require we can post a claim form to your address.  

You should notify the claims team as soon as possible after the medical incident has occurred. Claims should be submitted within 28 days of returning home.

Check your policy wording against the reason for your claim. If the event is listed as covered, and you meet the conditions, you are covered to make a claim. If you are in any doubt, please contact the claims team on 0330 024 9949 (or +44 (0)1444 465590 from abroad) to confirm.

If we receive a complete submission (all claim information, circumstances, correct documents, and evidence) your claim could be processed in as little as 10 to 15 days. If further information needs to be requested, this can extend the claim as long as it takes to receive this from you and then get reassessed by our team. 

You can check the status of your claim any time by visiting the website: Travel Claims Centre and choosing the option at the bottom of the page to View the status of your claim. This can be used even if you didn’t submit your claim using the online portal. 

You should allow around 3 – 5 days after initially submitting your claim before checking its status, as you will need your claim number (sent to you by our team once your claim has been received into our system), date of birth and email address, as used in the portal submission.
 

If your claim is an emergency, call the 24-hour emergency assistance line immediately on +44 (0)1444 465573 or 0330 024 9949 from within the UK.

The 24-hour emergency assistance line number is +44 (0)1444 465573.

Call the 24-hour emergency assistance line on +44 1444 465573.

If you cannot make phone calls, you can contact the claims or assistance team by email at [email protected].

Trips in the UK are covered by the NHS. If there are costs for repatriation to your home or local hospital are required, there is cover up to £1,000. The policy does not cover private medical treatment.
 

Curtailment means cutting your trip short and returning home earlier than planned due to an insured event (such as serious illness, injury or death of a close relative).

Repatriation means being returned to your home country on medical grounds, with arrangements made by the emergency assistance team.

Yes - if a close family member dies unforeseeably and unexpectedly while you are on holiday, you can claim for curtailment costs to return home.

To claim for legal expenses, contact the claims team on 0330 024 9949 (or +44 (0)1444 465590 from abroad) who will be able to advise further.

If you experience a life-threatening condition - such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, seizures, loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding, facial or lip swelling, signs of stroke, or any other critical issue - immediately contact local emergency services in the country you're visiting. Then, reach out to our 24/7 emergency assistance line.

Here are examples of emergency numbers in different regions:

• 112 within the European Union, Angola, Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso
• 999 in the UAE, Qatar, Bangladesh, Ghana, Guyana, Mauritius
• 911 in the USA, Aruba, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guam

If your condition is not life threatening you should ask your hotel reception or tour representative for details of the nearest public medical facility. 

If you are in doubt you can call our 24/7 emergency assistance line for advice on where to seek treatment.

Once at a hospital or medical centre you should make contact with our Emergency Medical Assistance Team on +44 (0)1444 465 573 as soon you can. They will be able to confirm to the hospital that travel insurance cover is in place and liaise with doctors on your behalf to ensure that you get the most appropriate medical care.

Before you travel, please look on the GOV.UK website for more information about local authorities and who to call should you find yourself in an emergency.  Please visit the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) site for travel advice. Please consult with your mobile phone provider how to call directly local emergency services while overseas.

Important: If your medical expenses are likely to exceed £500, your policy requires you to contact our 24/7 emergency line.

Please contact the 24/7 emergency assistance line published in your policy wording. They may help you avoid out of pocket expenses by assisting you to get your EHIC, GHIC, or Medicare enrolment accepted in certain countries or settling billing directly with hospitals in other countries. They can also make travel arrangements if for medical reasons you need special travel conditions for your return home or to change your travel dates. 

Once you contact our 24/7 team, if you are receiving medical treatment, the team will request you to complete a set of forms to consent to them accessing your medical information at the treating facility.

 It is critical that you return these to us as soon as possible, this will enable us to start interacting with the hospital immediately to obtain the information necessary to confirm your claim is covered and arrange direct billing. 

Additionally, we may need information about your medical history from your home GP to verify cover for your treatment; if this is the case, we will need the collaboration of your surgery; sometimes it can speed up the process if they are contacted by you or a family member as well. 

Depending on the circumstances of your incident and/or the medical condition that you suffer, your insurance may provide reimbursement for unexpected medical expenses while traveling, including hospital visits, doctor bills, and emergency evacuation. 

You can submit your claim using the online portal.

Please note that your Travel Insurance Policy is not a Private Medical Insurance and will only cover emergency treatment in public hospitals, where a local public hospital is available. 

Please always contact the 24/7 emergency line to avoid expenses that may not be refundable to you. If your hotel’s doctor is working with a private clinic, and there is an adequate public hospital, you may find yourself with non-reimbursable medical expenses, or being moved to the public clinic. 

• Booking confirmation invoice (for each travel arrangement)
• Medical report
• Invoices and receipts
• Proof of payment for medical expenses (i.e. bank or credit card statement)
• Completed medical certificate
• Accident report (if applicable)

We need to validate your exit from your home country and planned return to process your claim. 

A report completed by the attending physician or doctor. Details of the physician who treated you must be completed along with the treatment provided and the diagnosis. 

You will need to contact the medical provider to request a copy of your medical report. 

If the provider is not being helpful, you may need to invoke your legal rights to access your medical information. This works differently in different countries. For example, in the USA, under HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) you have the right to access your medical records and obtain a copy from any medical provider. In EU countries and other European countries which have adopted GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) you have the right to access your health information held by healthcare providers. Other countries have similar data protection laws.

Itemisation is required, dates and details of purchase provided need to be listed along with price for each item. 

For any accidents suffered overseas if there was involvement of a third party (i.e. slipping and getting injured at the hotel, motorised vehicle accident, etc) an accident report is needed. Normally the accident report will come from the local authority dealing with the incident i.e. the police, or it may be the travel company such as a tour operator or cruise company etc.

Yes, we will only cover expenses that are considered medically necessary. 

Your booking invoice may detail how you paid. However, this is not always sufficiently detailed, please include a copy of your bank or credit card statement showing the transactions made to pay for your travel arrangements. You may black-out unrelated information to protect your privacy.

This is easy - submit your claim online using the online portal, which means there is no paperwork or post!

Please contact [email protected] who will be able to assist you. If you require so, we can post a claim form to your address. If you’d prefer to talk to someone, please call the claims line on +44 (0)1444 465 590.

We’re here to support every customer through the claims process, and we understand that everyone’s circumstances are different. If you have any specific needs or require extra support - whether temporary or ongoing - we’re committed to providing the help you need with care, respect, and understanding. Please contact [email protected], or call the claims line on +44 (0)1444 465 590.

If we receive a complete submission (all claim information, circumstances, correct documents, and evidence) your claim could be processed in as little as 10 to 15 days. If further information needs to be requested, this can extend the claim as long as it takes to receive this from you and then get reassessed by our team.

We’ll reach out via the fastest method - usually email or phone. Please monitor both.

You can check the status of your claim any time by visiting the website Travel Claims Centre and choosing the option at the bottom of the page to View the status of your claim.  This can be used even if you didn’t submit your claim using our portal. 

You should allow around 3 – 5 days after initially submitting your claim, as you will need your claim number (sent to you by our team once your claim has been received into our system), date of birth and email address, as used in the portal submission. 

• Clarification needed. Despite how clear you think your description of the circumstances may have been, it may not be immediately clear to our staff. Please help us move forward your claim by promptly answering any questions they may have.
• Incomplete Medical Certificate. We can’t accept partially completed medical information, or information provided from someone who isn’t a medical professional and has access to the patient’s records. When you receive your medical certificate completed by your GP, please check its completeness (GPs may mistakenly leave fields blank or forget to stamp a page)
• Missing dates. If we can’t see when the incident happened that led to the cancellation we can’t determine if cover is in place.
• Mismatched amounts. Discrepancies between the documentation and your written claim value means we will have to come back to you for further explanation / evidence.
• Undeclared medical conditions.  If the medical information provided by your GP or other medical professional identifies conditions that don’t appear on your policy, we may have additional questions for you and may need to check how this affects cover before a claims decision can be made. 

If you are required to submit a medical certificate, this is to validate your declaration of medical conditions are point of purchase of your policy. An undeclared medical condition could be linked to an illness suffered overseas. 

All claims evidence needs to be submitted to us, but your policy doesn’t provide cover for this cost. Any fee, if charged, is therefore not covered by your policy. 

GPs differ in terms of how long it takes them to complete a form. You will need to check this directly with your GP. In general, the advice is that it can take up to 28 days for a GP to complete forms like this.

If you have challenges obtaining a completed medical certificate you may be able to use the following options:

1. Make a Subject Access Request (SAR)

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the legal right to request access to your full medical records. This is called a Subject Access Request (SAR).

• How to do it:
  • Contact your GP surgery directly - either in writing, by email, or in person.
  • Clearly state that you are making a Subject Access Request.
  • Include your full name, date of birth, address, and NHS number (if known).
  • You do not need to give a reason for your request.
• What you’ll receive:
  • A copy of your full medical record, including letters, test results, scans, and notes.
  • The GP practice must respond within one calendar month. 

2. Use the NHS App or NHS Website

You can view parts of your GP health record online using the NHS App or by logging into your NHS account.

• What you can see:
  • Medications, allergies, vaccinations, test results, and appointment notes.
  • You may need to ask your GP to enable access to older or more detailed records.
• How to get started:
  • Download the NHS App or visit the NHS website.
  • Register and verify your identity.

3. Speak to Your GP Practice

If you're not comfortable using digital tools, you can:

• Visit or call your GP surgery.
• Ask for a printed or digital copy of your records.
• Let them know if you only need specific information (e.g. test results or vaccination history), which may be quicker to provide. 

When taking out your policy you will have been asked a set of questions about you, or any one insured on the policy, and whether they have any existing medical conditions. As no checks are carried out upfront at the time of purchase, unlike life insurance, these checks are carried out only if a claim is made for medical reasons. 

Failing to either declare all medical conditions, and/or correctly answer the questions for each condition declared, could result in a limitation on the cover provided in the event of a claim. This is explained in UK government legislation under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, otherwise known as CIDRA. Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012

The legislation explains the importance of the consumer providing accurate information when taking out insurance and the remedies an insurer has if it’s determined that a full disclosure was not made. This is done by the insurer reviewing the full medical information and resubmitting this into their policy system to see what cover would have been offered at the time of sale had everything been declared.

This can result in the following outcomes:

1. There is no change to the cover offered, and the claim can be considered in full, subject to any specific policy terms and conditions.
2. There is a change in the premium that would have been charged at the time of sale, so the insurer will compare the actual premium paid to the total that should have been paid and by doing this calculate the percentage of underpaid premium. This will then be applied to the claim using the same percentage. (e.g. a policy was sold for £150.00, but after a review of the medical information the actual premium to cover all conditions should have been £175.00. The insurer will calculate that (£150.00 / £175.00) is 85.71% of the premium that should have been paid, so this amount will have applied to the claim and 85.71% of the claim will be agreed after any policy limits, and before any excesses.
3. No cover would have been offered if a full disclosure had been made at the time of sale, so the claim will be rejected on the basis no policy would have been sold. 

If 1) or 2) apply but it is clear that information was purposefully and intentionally withheld when the policy was purchased the insurer still has the option to deny cover as a deliberate non-disclosure.

For this reason, the medical information is needed, so the correct claim decision is made.

If you're a UK resident travelling within the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or its replacement, the GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card), is required for you to access medical treatment. These cards allow you to benefit from the same public healthcare as residents receive, but only if it's medically necessary. Depending on the country you're visiting, you may find that some of your care is free, the 24/7 assistance team can help settle direct billing with providers for your patient portion of responsibility, but you still might be expected to pay and seek reimbursement for specific treatments (such as prescriptions or doctor consultations).

Please be aware that your policy requires you to utilise your EHIC or GHIC for the applicable countries.

In Australia you need to enrol to Medicare to access medical treatment. Through Medicare you will be able to access medically necessary care out of hospital, medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital including inpatient and outpatient services, and some prescription medicines at the general rate.

Please be aware that your policy requires you to access medical care through Medicare while in Australia. Please visit this webpage for details on how to enrol to Medicare How do I sign up for Medicare? | Medicare

If we determine that your claim isn’t covered, we will decline the cover and explain the reason. You have the option to appeal this decision. 

We will need to know what your reasoning is for the appeal, along with additional information / evidence you have for us to consider. Our appeals team will then carefully consider this and let you know if this changes the claim decision. 

If it does, we will settle your claim in line with your policy terms and limits. If it doesn’t, we will let you know why. You have the option to submit a complaint if you remain unhappy.

Every policy contains a section called General Exclusions. These apply to all benefits, in addition to the specifically listed exclusions under each benefit. Cancellation for reasons not specifically listed as covered in your policy terms and conditions will not be covered.

• Air Passenger Duty (APD) which is refundable from the airline if you cancel your flight.
• ATOL, which stands for Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing, and is a financial protection scheme which is not considered a travel arrangement.
• Any refund / credit you may be offered will be deducted from any amount claimed.
• Any Credit Card or Travel Agent fees, which are not considered a travel arrangement. 

Most common reasons a claim may be reduced:

• Delayed cancellation: If you waited to cancel your trip after knowing you couldn’t travel, and this led to higher charges, we may only reimburse the amount that would have applied at the time cancellation became necessary.
• Undeclared medical conditions: If you didn’t declare relevant medical conditions when purchasing your policy, your claim may be settled proportionately or declined, depending on the impact of the non-disclosure.